THE PURPOSE OF THE EXPERIMENT WAS TO PRODUCE AND EVALUATE 3 COMPUTER-BASED ECONOMICS GAMES AS A METHOD OF INDIVIDUALIZING INSTRUCTION FOR GRADE 6 STUDENTS. 26 EXPERIMENTAL SUBJECTS PLAYED 2 ECONOMICS GAMES, WHILE A CONTROL GROUP RECEIVED CONVENTIONAL INSTRUCTION ON SIMILAR MATERIAL. IN THE SUMERIAN GAME, STUDENTS SEATED AT THE TYPEWRITER TERMINALS PRETENDED TO BE PRIEST-RULERS IN ANCIENT SUMER. IN THE SIERRA LEONE GAME, THE STUDENT PLAYED AN A.I.D. OFFICER. THE THIRD GAME, FREE ENTERPRISE, HAS BEEN COMPLETED BUT NOT TESTED. RESULTS OBTAINED BY OBSERVATION, INTERVIEW, PRE- AND POSTTESTING OF STUDENTS SHOWED THAT (1) GRADE 6 STUDENTS ARE TECHNICALLY ABLE TO PLAY COMPUTER-BASED ECONOMICS GAMES, (2) THE GAMES WERE AT LEAST AS EFFECTIVE AS CONVENTIONAL INSTRUCTION, (3) THE CONTROL GROUP RETAINED AN UNDERSTANDING OF ECONOMIC PRINCIPLES LONGER THAN THE EXPERIMENTALS, (4) THE AVERAGE EXPERIMENTAL TIME WAS ABOUT HALF THE CONTROL LEARNING TIME, (5) STUDENTS WITH HIGHER INTELLIGENCE AND READING ABILITY GAINED MORE FROM THE GAMES, (6) STUDENTS SPENDING THE LEAST TIME AT THE COMPUTER MADE THE GREATEST GAINS, (7) STUDENT INTEREST WAS HIGH. THE SUMERIAN AND SIERRA LEONE GAMES MAY BE PLAYED WHERE A 1401 COMPUTER WITH OPERATING TERMINALS IS LOCATED. OTHER FINDINGS ARE ALSO MENTIONED. APPENDED IS AN EXTENSIVE BIBLIOGRAPHY ON COMPUTER-AIDED INSTRUCTION. (MS)
